


i wanna be your girlfriend

by eclairestyles



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Childhood Friends, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-08
Updated: 2020-08-09
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:47:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25783867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eclairestyles/pseuds/eclairestyles
Summary: "i don't want to be your friend, i wanna kiss your lips"A fic inspired by the girl in red's i wanna be your girlfriend!
Relationships: Tsukishima Kei/Reader
Kudos: 9





	1. The orange scarf

**Author's Note:**

> I am aware that the song is about a girl falling head over heels for her friend and I don't want to offend anyone. I just think that the song really got to me and I was inspired by a tiktok that I saw. Please don't come for me UwU, I just really like the song so much. I hope you guys enjoy, this fic starring the one and only salty beanpole, Tsukishima Kei.

_"Nee- Tsukki, I wanna feel you close"_

It was a beautiful, yet cold morning, the sun hasn't fully risen, stores covered in Halloween decorations and streets littered with bright yellow and orange leaves, a sight that makes her insides all warm and giddy despite the cold air biting at her exposed legs, _damn this uniform, couldn't they have made it a little longer?_ She thought. Fall was her favorite season, she loved everything about it, she loved how pumpkin-flavored pies were always on display in her favorite coffee shop, she loved the cool weather despite always being cold, and she loved how the trees were always covered in bright colors that reminded her of his eyes. Although she hated mornings and waking up early, she couldn't help but feel excited as she got closer to their "meeting spot" where a tall, salty blonde and a sweet, green-haired boy would be waiting for her. Her legs suddenly moved faster at the thought of Tsukki commenting on how she was late again when he was just early. 

A smile formed on her lips, as she spotted a nest of blonde hair standing a couple of hundred meters away from her. Her grin got wider when she spotted an orange scarf wrapped around his neck, which made her heart melt but the thought of teasing him excited her more.

"Well, well, well, look at what we have here... A scarf? An orange scarf?" Natsu scoffed "And here I thought you didn't need things to keep you warm since you're so cold-blooded" A snarky remark was the first thing that escaped her lips as soon as she was in ear-shot. 

Yamaguchi stifled laughter, not wanting to offend his friend, and greeted the girl instead " _Ohayo_ Natsu-san" and flashed her a smile. 

Before she could even respond to the green-haired boy, Tsukishima responded, with no doubt an even snarkier remark. "Idiot, cold-blooded animals actually depend on external temperatures to regulate their internal body temperatures, so if I was as cold-blooded as you say, then that's all the more reason I should be wearing a scarf." He responded, nonchalantly. "Even an elementary student knows that, and here I was, thinking you actually had a brain." 

Her entire body felt warm, as the blood rushed to her face, tinting her cheeks with pink. Attempting to hide her embarrassment, she responded with something she knows will irk her friend.

"Well, at least I'm not wearing a scarf that is the same color as Hinata's hair." His eyes grew wide as a scowl formed on his face, while Yamaguchi turned around, attempting to hide the laugh that was about to burst out of him. They all knew how much Tsukki hated the orange-haired boy and to see that he was wearing something that closely resembled the color of Hinata's hair pushed him to the edge. 

Natsu satisfied with herself, started to walk forward pulling Yamaguchi with her, leaving Tsukki with no choice to follow behind them, with a scowl still plastered on his face.

Natsu - 1, Tsukki - 0

Despite hating mornings, it was surely her favorite time of the day, it was the only free time she could spend with _him._ Of course, she couldn't walk home with them after school because they had a club activity, which actually made her out of place between the three of them. She didn't like being out of place, but every time she sees him exert effort on something he actually likes even when she wasn't part of it makes her smile. Natsu glanced up at Tsukishima thinking of the times he has said that it was just a "club activity" and that he hated overly-passionate players, but Natsu knows that he loved the sport and she would never do anything to take him away from something he was actually passionate about. 

"Ehhhhh- why are you smiling, Natsu-chan?" Yamaguchi noticed the small smile on her face. "Do you have a boyfriend? Why didn't you tell us about it?"

Yamaguchi then proceeded to jab Tsukishima with his elbows "Nee, nee Tsukki, look at Natsu smiling on her own. I think she has a boyfriend she isn't telling us about."

" _Urusasi_ (noisy), Yamaguchi. I don't care." Tsukishima said, with a straight face.

Natsu's heart dropped, she knew he didn't care about her dating life, but damn he really had no interest at all! He didn't even bother to say something snarky or mean, he just simply didn't care. 

Yamaguchi ignored his friend and turned to you instead "Who's the lucky guy? I bet he's an upperclassman." 

With a heavy heart, she responded "No, no I don't have a boyfriend Tadashi-san!" Natsu needed an excuse as to why she was smiling to herself and without second-thought, she blurted out how she was thinking of confessing to Saito-san, an upperclassman that has been walking with her every night after school. 

"EEEHHHHH! Saito-san? Isn't he a basketball player? How did you two meet? Why didn't you tell us about this?" Yamaguchi continued to bombard Natsu with his questions. Tsukishima tried to look as uninterested as possible when in reality he walked a little bit closer to her just so he could eavesdrop on their conversation. 

She told Yamaguchi about how they met when he approached her one day when he noticed that they had the same route going home, and wanted to walk home together. She told him how sweet Saito-san was and how he would always wait for her outside of the school. This was all true, Saito is a real, living person, Natsu would never make up a story, she did leave out the part that all they talk about is Tsukishima Kei. 

Tsukishima didn't really like her, he just tolerated her, he reminded himself but he didn't know why he felt compelled to listen to their conversation about how this _upperclassman_ was sweeping her off her feet. He and Natsu have been _friends_ ever since Junior High, and she has never mentioned liking someone so he never really gave it a thought, but looking at her he never really thought that she'd be into guys with a reputation like Saito. He always thought that she'd be into quieter and smarter guys _like him._

As the conversation about the upperclassman simmered down, and the trio is now walking in sweet, comfortable silence. Tsukishima noticed how cold it is and how short her skirt is, of course, he never really looked at her in any way that is not respectful because he respected her and because he was afraid that once he started to see Natsu in a different light, he'd never be able to go back to not really caring. _He didn't care about her, he just tolerated her._ He repeated to himself, but when he saw her shiver at the gust of cold wind his heart failed him and he felt _slightly_ concerned that she didn't have a coat or a scarf to protect herself from the cold weather. As they were about to enter Karasuno High's gate, he removed the scarf from his neck and tossed it to the girl in front of her.

"Here, I don't to be seen wearing that tacky scarf. You keep it." He said, without even bothering to look at the brown-haired girl he just threw his scarf to. He didn't want them to see the blush creeping up on his face as he walked away leaving her dumbfounded. 

She stood there, not really knowing what to do with the scarf thrown her way as Yamaguchi ran after Tsuki. He probably just gave it to her so people wouldn't see him wearing a scarf that looked like Hinata's hair, but she couldn't help but feel the butterflies going wild in her stomach. Natsu hesitantly wrapped the warm scarf around her neck, thinking that it smelled like Tsukishima and followed after her friends.

Natsu wanted more than his stupid scarf, she wanted to hug him and be close to him when it's cold out, _but this will have to do_ , she thought. 


	2. The dinosaur display

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Basically this fic follows the lyrics of i wanna be your girlfriend :''> hope ya'll like it.

"Nee- Tsukki, come lie with my bones.

Nee- Tsukki, don't look away"

Saturdays have always been _automatically_ reserved despite the trio never explicitly saying to each other to hang out on that certain day. At first, it was just a plan to study, or do some extra work it then developed to being a routine every weekend. Sometimes they'd be in Natsu's house, which means that they'd go to Yamaguchi's house next, and then they'd go to the Tsukishima's after that. It was sort of an unspoken routine where they'd hang at different households each week. Of course, the host would have to prepare with food, movies, and games. They were definitely an unlikely trio, well... Tsukki was the most unlikely member of their trio, his personality contrasted with his two best friends that had more of an outgoing personality while he was more of the brooding type.

Despite the three of them not having any close friends outside of their friend group, they never felt alone or lonely or bored with one another. They just fit together. Today, was a Saturday, last weekend they hung out at the Yamaguchi household, which means that they would be staying at the Tsukishimas this afternoon. Natsu has been to Tsukishima's house plenty of times, she has met his father, his mother, and his estranged brother who had a falling out with her friend years ago. Tsukishima Kei wasn't the type of person to let just anyone enter his personal, private space, his home was exactly that and although he wasn't really vocal with his appreciation towards his two closest friends, he showed them that he trusted them by allowing him to come over at his place. 

They tend to spend their weekends a lot like today, where Natsu and Yamaguchi would probably be talking about something random while Kei ignores them with his white, sony headphones over his ear, reading a magazine or a book. He didn't really find any of the things they talk about interesting, especially when all they talk about is volleyball or Yamaguchi's crush on their team manager, Yachi. However, today's topic was a little different, after Natsu's revelation last Thursday regarding her infatuation about a certain upperclassman who has been walking with her daily. 

Yamaguchi continued to ask her questions, asking for updates about her big confession, while thinking confusedly to himself as to why she would confess to Saito when she clearly liked a certain blonde. Yamaguchi, being the understanding and kind friend he is, never really pointed out the tension that was growing between his friends. Of course, he did think that they were idiots for not seeing how hopelessly in love they were with each other but he'd always say to himself that they'd figure it out someday. Tsukishima never really thought that Yamaguchi would notice how he'd suddenly puff his chest or walk straighter when Natsu was with them, or how he'd instinctively walk closer to her when they run into a group of boys that would constantly check out Natsu. He never really thought about how Yamaguchi would notice the way he'd give them a scowl or a silent deadly stare, each time their gazes would linger too long at her. Yamaguchi noticed, of course, he saw everything. He even tried to help the two of them once by bringing it up to Tsukishima, only to receive a straight face and a " _Urusai (_ Noisy), Yamaguchi." He eventually dropped it.

Natsu was sweating, despite the cool weather that comes with fall. She debated on whether it would be a good idea to hang out with them today, especially after that whole Saito-san scandal last week but she couldn't bring herself to ditch them. Now here she is, sitting on the bed of the person that she has fallen hopelessly in love with while a green-haired boy continued to dig at her story about Saito. Her heart has been pounding like crazy, and her anxiousness grew every minute she stayed in his room. Hanging out at a boy's place isn't exactly new to her, they've known each other since Junior High and she has been to this house hundreds of times but she, herself, couldn't deny that her feelings were growing stronger making it more difficult to act normal around Tsukishima Kei. She wasn't always like this, as kids, she never really found it weird to hang out at a boy's house simply seeing them as her friends. But that was before falling in love with him, that was before they entered into teenage-hood with raging hormones. 

Tsukishima attempted to hide his disdain with today's topic. His two friends continued to chat about how tall and muscly Saito-san is and how that _simpleton_ had a reputation for being a womanizer. He discreetly lowered the volume of his headphones to eavesdrop on their conversation without looking like he was interested in what they were conversing about. 

"Eeehh, you're saying that he invited you to watch his matches and you're thinking of going?" Tadashi exclaimed loudly, shocked at Natsu's story.

 _Tch. What's so special about basketball anyways, volleyball is a better sport._ Tsukishima thought to himself, his heart suddenly felt heavier at the revelation. She never mentioned this to him, in fact, she never even mentioned that she had a walk-buddy going home, Tsukki just always assumed that she would walk home by herself.

"Why do you looked so shocked Tadashi-san? Don't you have fate that your best friend would be able to snag someone as cool as him?" 

Tsukishima's eyes widen at the comment, still, he didn't look up at them and continued to eavesdrop. His hands held the magazine closer to his face, not wanting them to see his reactions. 

"No, no, no! I just always thought that you had a thing for..." Yamaguchi's eyes trailed over to where Tsukki was sitting, clearly eyeing him to see if he was listening before continuing "Tsukki..." he said in a whisper. 

Natsu's eyes widen, and she felt her heart skip a beat. The blood rushed to the poor girl's face, leaving her cheeks and ears tinted with pink. Unknown to her, Tsukishima experienced the same reaction.

"EEEHHHHH!!" Natsu exclaimed loudly, still red in the face "I-I... NO!! Idiot why... why would I like... _him"_ She exclaimed, disgust laced her words as she denied her feelings. He was shocked that she had called Yamaguchi an idiot, for it was a rare occurrence for someone like her to call someone stupid. He guessed that she was just truly disgusted with the thought of dating him. His heart clenched beneath his cold exterior, not letting any emotion show on his face which is something that he was very good at.

"Pfftt... Okay okay!" Yamaguchi raised his hands in defense "You don't have to be so defensive about it." He smirked and received a light punch on the arm in return.

Suddenly Yamaguchi's phone rang, cutting off the pair's conversation. Tsukishima, finally looked up from his magazine and looked at the boy grabbing his phone. 

"Moshi Moshi (hello?)..." Yamaguchi said, as he slowly walked out of Tsukki's room to get some privacy.

Natsu noticed how Tsukki looked up immediately as the phone rang, she wondered to herself if he was listening to their conversation. She felt awkward with the thought that he had probably heard of Yamaguchi's accusation and how she denied everything. The two of them were alone in the room together, this wasn't new to them when they've been together in a room countless of times before. Natsu had always assumed that the nervousness that came with these situations would subside once she got rid of her infatuation with that _lame idiot._ Unfortunately for her, that wasn't the case. For some reason, the feelings she harbored during Junior High continued to grow and pester her up to their first year in Highschool. 

Tsukishima wasn't a simpleton, he wasn't as simpleminded as his older teammates like Tanaka and Nishinoya that lost their minds with the slightest attention from Kiyoko-san. He admits that Kiyoko-san is beautiful, and her unfaze-able personality just adds to that but he would never act as his upperclassman did. Despite that, he was still a boy that had raging hormones going through puberty, it was inevitable to have sinful thoughts about the opposite sex, it was just simply biological. He suppressed his impure thoughts about the girl sitting adjacent to him simply because he respected her as a person and as his friend but he was also afraid that once he let the thought of kissing her and undressing her slip through his mind that he would lose all of his senses and control. 

Once in a while, his mind would betray him and he'd find himself sweaty and in heat with the thought of _her._

 _This was torture,_ Natsu thought. It felt like hours on end when a minute hasn't even passed since Yamaguchi left the room. The tension was there, and they both felt it. Tired of the deafening silence growing between them, she decided to make conversation he was, after all, her best friend. 

"Nee- Tsukki, you still have your dinosaur display huh? You still like playing with them?" 

Tsukishima looked up from his magazine and raised his eyebrows at her "It's a collection you idiot, I don't actually play with it. I'm not a simpleton like you" 

Natsu huffed in defeat and looked around his room for something to talk about, she noticed how clean and organized it was compared to her own room that has been always messy. She liked that about him, she liked how responsible and dependable he was. Not that he was someone easily approachable to ask for help, but he was definitely one of the biggest factors as to why she got into Karasuno High's college preparatory class. On the wall beside his door, hung his Volleyball uniform with the number 11 on it, Natsu's eyes sparkled and thought of bring up volleyball but she didn't, knowing that she'd probably get the whole _"it's just a club activity"_ speech. 

Finally, with what felt like days that spanned in just 2 minutes, Yamaguchi entered the room with a wide grin plastered on his freckled face.

"Yess!! We're going to Tokyo today!" Yamaguchi curled up his fist and punched the air excitedly.

Both Natsu and Tsukki's eyes widen at his announcement, does that mean that they'd be left alone... in his house? They both thought.

"EEEhhh? You're leaving?" Natsu managed to squeak out amidst having a panic attack. 

"Gomen nee (Sorry) Natsu-chan" Tadashi bowed his head "But it's been a while since I've visited Tokyo, I promise to send pictures and bring home some postcards for you." Natsu's eyes sparkled at Yamaguchi, excited for her friend. 

_"Why doesn't she ask me to send pictures or buy postcards for her every time I go somewhere cool"_ Tsukki thought to himself with his head down.

"Really Tadashi-san? You really are the best!" She exclaimed, jumping up and down in front of him. 

" _Ja ne!_ (See you later) Tsukki" Yamaguchi waved a hand in front of him, still smiling while Tsukki gave him a small nod "Behave you two!" Yamaguchi flashed a smile at the couple, before slamming the door closed behind him.

Natsu debated on whether she should stay or leave, a single sweat dripped down her face. _If she leaves, Tsukki might get weirded out why she couldn't handle being alone with him if she stays, then she'd be the one who won't be able to handle the situation well._

_It's okay, Natsu. It's just Tsukki, he's a lame idiot he won't notice anything if you stayed._ Natsu thought to herself. Her eyes gazed at the tall blonde in front of her, with his headphones now back on his ears, his eyes devouring the book he was reading with a slight crease on his brows. _Damn, he really is something huh..._

She scooted closer to him, carefully eyeing the dinosaur-printed comforter on top of his bed.

"Neee Tsukki, didn't you know that your suppose to entertain your guest? I didn't know that you were this rude?" 

Tsukki looked up at her again, with one brow raised and removed his headphones from the top of his head and placed it carefully around his neck. 

"What do you want to do?" Tsukki said, nonchalantly.

Natsu thought of things they could do other than _doing each other._ The idea of Tsukki... doing things to her made her feel something in the pit of her stomach. She quickly looked around the room for things they could talk about she then saw the dinosaur display once again and decided to stand up, squeezing her legs together, and awkwardly moved towards his study table. Tsukkki's dinosaur display is placed on top of a glass-shelf (picture above for reference) which was difficult to reach for someone like Natsu. She pointed her toes and attempted to reach for it, as she was about to finally get a grip on the thing, a large hand towered over her and took the dinosaur. She realized how dangerously close Tsukishima was behind her brought an unwelcome blush in her face. 

He then placed the dinosaur roughly towards her as she turned around to see him staggeringly close to her figure. They were looking at each other eye to eye and Natsu felt the world disappear behind them. At this moment, nothing mattered but her and him. Her heart hammered beneath her chest, struggling to breathe properly. His face didn't show any signs of nervousness nor shyness, in fact, he looked incredibly bored as if the close proximity between them didn't bother him, not even a bit.

 _This is it._ She thought _This is the perfect time to confess._

As she was about to open her mouth to speak, she thought of all the times girls have confessed to her unassumingly handsome best friend. Scenes of handfuls of girls getting rejected mid-confession flashed before her eyes. Remembering the times she thought to herself that this was her fate. Natsu had always called Tsukki out for how he handled rejecting those poor girls, she felt for them. While Tsukki would always tell her that _it didn't matter, that at least they would be able to move on quickly._ With a defeated sigh, she shut her mouth close and decided that confessing would probably put an end to their friendship.

Tsukishima turned around and looked away "I didn't want someone as clumsy as you to drop my T-rex, don't think about it too much, nee- Natsu-chan?" He said teasingly, attempting to mask the nervousness he felt with their interaction.

The mood was ruined when Tsukki made a snarky comment and she immediately rummaged through her brain for a quick comeback. But her mind betrayed her when she realized that she didn't have a snarky comeback nor something mean to say. She just thought about how he easily looked away, when she couldn't bring herself to. 

She thought about how meaningful his gazed look and how stupid she must've been thinking that he was going to kiss her. _Of course, he wasn't you idiot._ _How could you even think that?_

Ignoring his rather suggestive comment, she sat beside him on his bed and asked him to tell her how something as magnificent as a dinosaur evolved into a chicken.

Of course, Tsukki happily obliged and told her all about evolution. He wasn't the best with conversations, but just like always, Natsu had a knack for bringing his best foot forward. They spent the whole afternoon like this, as per usual, laughing and exchanging inside jokes with one another.


	3. After school shenanigans

_"Nee- Tsukki, just look at me the same"_

The Miyagi Prefectural qualifiers were nearing, and it brought everybody on edge, even Tsukishima, who has always tried to hide his passion for the sport, was affected by it. Yamaguchi, who has always been pretty laid-back, is now overworking himself to perfect his jump float serve. It bothered Natsu to see her friends like this, always tired and irritable at the mere mention of Volleyball. They were nervous, and so was the rest of the team and she wanted to do something about it. 

She decided to put her brain to use and thought of a way to raise the team's morale and her friends' moods. Not appreciating the way they would ignore her every time she asked if they'd allow her to watch their matches. An idea popped into Natsu's head, the team loves steamed pork buns from the store near their school, surely that would cheer them up. Although she rarely watched their practices due to the fear of intruding, she surprisingly had a good relationship with her friends' teammates. A smile formed on her lips as she thought of the first time she had met them, looking back, she realized how far they've come. Maybe she'd buy a few cartons of milk too, the ones advertised to make you grow taller, knowing how much Kageyama liked milk and how Hinata would drink those religiously. 

Classes have always been... somewhat interesting, all because her friends were with her. From time to time, the three of them would share a glance every time the teacher said something funny or weird or when the person they found annoying would get scolded by the teacher. Tsukishima would often remind her and Yamaguchi about an assignment the two had already forgotten about. It was a good thing that she was in the same class as her two closest and _only_ friends, well... maybe she can consider Saito-san her friend, he often walks home with her after all. Realizing that she had to inform Saito now before she forgets, that she would be going home late. Slowly, she pulled out her phone from her blazer's right pocket, her eyes never leaving the teacher in front, just in case he looked her way. 

Fortunately, the teacher was too busy explaining the anatomy of... a boy. Quickly looking down at the phone between her hands, she quickly typed the words "Will gp home lqte today, don't wait f mpre."

There were a few incorrect spellings with her text but she decided to send it anyway. She was pushing her luck already when she sent that text, knowing how strict her science professor was, she didn't bother correcting a few mistakes with the risk of getting caught. The brown-haired girl then returned to attempting to listen to her teacher when she noticed a mop of blonde hair shaking his head, giving her a disapproving look, he saw her texting in class and she knew how much of a goody-two-shoes he was. Natsu rolled her eyes at him and paid attention to the professor instead. 

The school bell finally rang, signaling the end of that obnoxiously boring class and as soon as their teacher walked out of the room, Tsukishima wasted no time to spit out a snarky remark.

Tsukishima gracefully stood up from his desk and made his way over to her seat. "Texting your boyfriend during class hours now huh? I pity you, he's probably just stringing you along and you're falling for it like the idiot you are" 

Yamaguchi laughed "Oh come on, Tsukki. Be nice to Natsu-chan, it's her first boyfriend." 

"He's not my boyfriend... yet, Tadashi-san. I just had something important to tell him" Natsu explained. Although she had no intention of making Saito-san her boyfriend, she had to keep up the act that she liked him. 

"Ehh... Really? What's more important than listening to class?" Tsukki raised his brows, _oh what a goody two shoe_ she thought. "Besides, you should probably stop texting him..." Tsukki paused, realizing he sounded jealous and continued "...during class at least. Tch. If it weren't for me you'd probably be in the same class as Kageyama and Hinata, now wouldn't that be a sight, you'd finally be with your people, all incredibly stupid." He laughed, at his own joke. Natsu knew that he was right, one of the main reasons that she was able to get into this class was all because he tutored her, she would never admit that to him though. 

Yamaguchi was standing there, in between the two as if he was a referee in a boxing match. Natsu felt incredibly irritated with the blonde lamppost towering over her desk, still, a smile remained on her face, careful not to show any hint of annoyance for that would only give him satisfaction. Instead, she smirked at him and said in the sweetest voice that she could muster 

"What, don't tell me you're jealous?" 

Tsukishima's eyes widened at her comment, blood rushing to his face as he tried to feign composure but his body betrayed him when a pinkish tone tinted his cheeks and ears. He hated it when she does this for he rarely gets flustered, not even when Kiyoko-san complimented him for his blocks or when the girls he found attractive confessed to him, no, not even then. Only she had the power to do this to him, and she had no idea. 

"S-shut it, Natsu." his face turning into a scowl. 

"Works every time" She smiled to herself, knowing how much it affected him when she accuses him of being jealous. Of course, she knew that he wasn't really jealous of Saito, accusing him of jealousy was just a way to shut him up. Tsukishima may be tall and he may look mature for his age, but his emotional maturity is like of an 8-year-old boy who tends to get embarrassed by the small things like his feelings.

Sighing in defeat, he returned to his desk and placed the headphones around his neck over his ears, ignoring the chatter inside the room.

"Maybe he really is..." Yamaguchi casually said, as if those words didn't hold any weight but it was enough for Natsu's world to stop turning, as the thought consumes her. 

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

After class, the trio separated ways as the boys left to attend their volleyball training, leaving Natsu alone. The sky was clear outside, tinted with orange and purple hues as the sun was about to set, she couldn't help but stop to admire the beauty right above her. _It was so beautiful,_ she thought _but it's so unreachable... just like him._ A sigh erupted from her lips, as her mind drifted back to Yamaguchi's comment, she found herself pathetic for overanalyzing such a simple statement, and yet she hopes that it was the truth.

 _No, Tsukishima couldn't possibly be jealous... right?_ Convincing herself that Yamaguchi is probably just delusional and that Tsukki would never like her, made her think of distancing herself from them, at least until her feelings for the blonde got resolved. Realizing that she had no other friends aside from Tsukishima and Yamaguchi, made her even more frustrated. Muttering incoherent and frustrated words to herself as she continued to walk. Finally reaching Karasuno High's gate, she spotted a tall, familiar mop of black hair leaning on a tree.

"Eehhh? Saito-san?" Staring wide-eyed at the upperclassman leaning against the tree texting on his phone. 

"Oi, Natsu-chan. I thought you were going home late today?" The sophomore asked, raising his brows at her.

"Ehh, ano... I was actually on my way to the Sakanoshita market today to buy some snacks for the volleyball team." Natsu explained, _was he... was he waiting for me?_ she thought to herself.

"Really? Do you want some company?" He offered, making her blush. To be quite frank, Saito-san is fairly popular with the girls, even more popular than her salty friend. But who could blame the girls? Saito-san was a sight for sore eyes, he was tall and actually had muscles unlike that beanpole she'd been pining over, he was smart, caring and is pretty skilled at basketball too. Natsu pondered to herself wondering why she didn't fall for him instead? 

"A-are you sure? Aren't you waiting for someone?" 

"Actually... I was sorta waiting for you" His embarrassment was evident, it was clear as day. Attempting to hide the redness creeping upon his face, he looked somewhere else, avoiding the intent wide-eyed gaze of the girl standing in front of him. 

The pair walked together, conversing and laughing as they did. Saito-san made her walks home less lonely, and she definitely appreciated him for accompanying her. It was quite refreshing in all honesty, to finally have a conversation with someone that doesn't throw mean and snarky remarks every chance they get. Charming as he is, he was surprisingly a timid guy, Natsu didn't expect him to be as nice as he is. She always expected him to have the same pride and feigned confidence as Tsukki did, but he was more like Yamaguchi, kind, and caring.

"Are you the Volleyball team's manager or something?" He asked, one eyebrow raised 

Natsu laughed, _her? A team manager?_ "Me? Nooo, I could never. What makes you think that?"

The raven-haired boy slowly brought his hands to his hair and ruffled it a bit. "Well, you're doing this for them? I'm sorry that came out wrong, what I meant is you don't have to do this for them. You do know that right?"

She laughed louder, as she grew more comfortable with the guy walking bashfully beside her. The sun had just set, and the street lamps lit up one by one creating a rather romantic mood.

"Of course I know" she smiled at him "It's just that I've noticed how on edge everybody was, especially with the inter-high preliminaries coming up and I wanted to do something nice for them."

"By them, you meant Tsukishima-kun right?" Natsu's face heated up at the mere mention of his name and was quick to defend herself. "Oii! Believe it or not, I'm actually friends with his teammates. And I know how much they want to make it to Nationals. I'm just rooting for them."

"Haha, okay Natsu-chan. Don't be so defensive." Saito knew how much she liked Tsukishima Kei. Every time they walked home together all she talks about is that salty beanpole, and frankly, he never got why she liked him so much, that boy had the emotional capacity of a lamppost. Based on the stories she would often tell him about, they seemed more like enemies rather than best friends. The thought of someone as beautiful, as thoughtful, and as caring as the girl standing beside him pine over that arrogant-volleyball playing stick irked him to no end. That boy didn't deserve her, and his heart ached for her. 

He just needed a way to spend more time with her, so she could see that he was better, in every aspect. A light bulb lit up in his head, giving him an idea. 

"Any team would be lucky to have you as their manager, you know" He then smiled at Natsu, his eyes twinkling "And it just so happens that our current manager is looking for a replacement."

Her eyes widen at the proposal, unsure of what she should say to him. "Eeeehhhh! Y-you want me to be your team manager?" pointing to her own body, wondering if she had heard him correctly.

"Why not?" He flashed her a smile "You're team-manager material!" 

Natsu's sparkling eyes stared at him, a smile forming on her lips. "Now I think you only hang out with me cause you're scouting for a new manager" She joked. However, she knew that a lot of people –specifically girls- wanted to be their manager. Karasuno's basketball team is strong and has a pretty impressive lineup, the boys were not bad looking either. Of course, almost every girl in her school wanted that position. She had overheard her peers discussing it inside the girls' comfort room countless times. 

"You got me." Saito teased as they arrive in front of the Sakanoshita store. 

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

The team had just finished playing a practice match when the gymnasium door suddenly slid open, allowing a gust of cold wind inside, leaving the hair on their arms to perk up. Everyone inside stopped what they had been previously doing, and turned their attention to the door that opened on its own. They weren't expecting guests and every member of the team was with them and accounted for, the thought that an unknown serial killer or an _oni_ (demon) might be lingering outside those doors frightened everyone.

Both Nishinoya and Hinata hid behind Tanaka, scared of what was on the other side of the steel doors. While the third years firmly held up their mops preparing to defend themselves from the unknown intruder.

The gym grew eerily quiet, as the volleyball team anticipated for the entry of the unnamed trespasser. Even Asahi, who has been mistaken as a 30-year old man because of his large build one too many times, cowered behind Sugawara. 

"Who's there?" Daichi bravely shouted, walking closer towards the door to inspect. Tsukki raised his brows, as he spotted a familiar mess of brown curly hair through the crack. 

"Wh-whoo do you think it is, Tsukki?" Yamaguchi attempted to speak but his words were barely audible, afraid that the person outside would hear him. 

The door then proceeded to fully slide open, revealing a browned-hair girl with a gleaming smile, holding plastic bags with both hands as the gym started to smell like steamed pork buns. Everybody in the gym breath out a sigh in relief, it was just Natsu-chan. 

Tsukki's mood drastically improved as she saw her standing there, as he was about to walk towards her to help with the bags she was carrying, another figure appeared behind her, _a rather tall... average-looking_ boy. He was smiling at her, asking her where he should place the plastic bag containing all the snacks Natsu had bought for the team. Suddenly, he lost his appetite and his bright mood. _How dare she? Bringing that boy here?! In the volleyball gym? Surely Daichi-san wouldn't allow this, right?_

A smile formed on Daichi's lips as soon as he saw the boy carrying the plastic bags. "Oii, Reo-kun! How are you?" 

Both Yamaguchi and Tsukishima's eyes widen, _Eehhh! They're first-name basis?_ The pair thought. The third years, Sugawara, Asahi, Daichi, and Kiyoko greeted the stranger with warmth.

"You're finally back? You still have to pass your application form before you can return you know?" Sugawara smiled eagerly. They crowded around him, ruffling his hair, giving him light punches on the arm, it was evident that he had been a part of the volleyball club. Judging by the glare Tanaka and Nishinoya had been giving the boy, it was clear that they didn't have a good relationship with him, despite being in the same year.

Yamaguchi looked at Tsukishima, gauging his reaction, wondering what he would do now that Natsu had shown up with another boy. 

"Are you okay?" A concerned Yamaguchi asked, earning him a scoff from his friend. _This is his problem_ , The freckled boy thought to himself, he didn't know how to express his feelings even if it was already killing him. If he saw Yachi enter the gym with another boy, he would've freaked out, he would've been furious but Tsukki stayed silent, letting his emotions fester inside of him instead.

Mustering up courage he bravely said to his friend "Just confess already".

Before Tsukki could respond, Daichi beckoned the first years over to introduce themselves, leaving Tsukishima no choice but to interact with that scum. He walked over to where his team captain was standing, as he introduced the person he already hated "Everyone, I'd like to introduce to you a former member of Karasuno's volleyball team, Saito Reo." 

Saito bashfully waved at the first years, with a tint of blush on his cheeks, not wanting the attention. He greeted everyone with a "Nice to meet you" as bowed to them. All the first years responded to him simultaneously, all except Tsukki. 

"I would also like to thank Natsu-chan for bringing us some snacks." He continued, as the team simultaneously thanked Natsu. A blush crept up to her face as Nishinoya and Tanaka bowed to her feet thanking her for bringing them snacks. She spotted Tsukki and Yamaguchi looking at her and expected them to talk to her, but to her dismay, only Yamaguchi greeted her as she glanced at the blonde walking the opposite direction of where she was sitting. 

Her heart sank. The whole point of this was to make the team happier, _to make him happier._ So why was he ignoring her? Is bringing his team snacks too much? Did he finally realize that she was doing all this for him? Or was he mad at her for disturbing their practice? A million scenarios flashed her eyes, wondering why he was mad at her. Surely it was just a misunderstanding and Tsukki wouldn't be able to resist not talking to her. Natsu sat on the bench, alone, as the team went over to the snacks situated on the opposite side of the court. A tall figure loomed over the brown-haired girl, forcing her to look up, half-expecting for it to be Tsukki but to her dismay, she found herself eye to eye with a pair of hazel eyes instead of his honey-colored ones. 

"So where is this famous Tsukishima Kei you've been talking about?" The raven-haired boy sat beside her as the rest of the team devoured the snacks that they had brought. 

"There..." she paused, embarrassed that her "best friend" didn't even address her "the tall one with the glasses" 

"Huh? Really? I thought you guys were best friends?" 

"We are!" She claimed.

"Then why didn't he come here to say hello to you at least?" Saito asked, even though he knew the answer to his question. That tall beanpole that she's been pining over clearly reciprocated her feelings, it was so obvious that even he sensed it, _he was jealous of him_. Saito would never tell her, of course. Why would he? If he did, he'd basically be giving her up to the guy that clearly doesn't deserve her, even when he liked her back. 

"I honestly don't know..." Natsu looked up at him, nose red and eyes glossy as tears threatened to spill out of her brown eyes. Saito's heart exploded with both sadness and... awe. _How could someone like her... cry over someone like him..._ He thought to himself, _that boy did not deserve her tears_. 

"Shhh, don't worry! I'll treat you some ice cream later! Pino's your favorite right?" _he_ promised, attempting to cheer her up. "Besides, crying's going to only make you look uglier and I have a reputation to only be friends with pretty people." He joked, earning him a light slap on the arm as Natsu's frown turned into a gleaming smile.

Meanwhile, a certain blonde kept his eyes on the pair, never leaving them unsupervised _no, no, no,_ _not with that close proximity, they look like they're about to kiss!_ Tsukki thought to himself. He didn't know why he bothered sticking around, training was over and all he had to do was leave early. No one was holding him back, _she certainly wasn't..._ so why did he have to prolong this torture even more. It was simple, he knew he couldn't have left her alone with... _that guy_. He knew that he couldn't bear the thought of leaving her with someone like him. And it sucked to see her in the arms of a disgusting womanizer.

Soon, the crowd surrounding the plastic bag containing the snacks began to dissipate, as the players made their way one by one to the couple sitting on the bench on the other side of the court. Hinata was the first one to approach the pair whilst stuffing his mouth with pork bun.

"Thank you so much, Natsu! Food's more delicious when it's free!" Interrupting the conversation between the pair, as pieces of pork buns flew around as he spoke with food still stuffed in his mouth. On a normal basis, Tsukishima would judge the certain orange-haired boy for not having any manners but at this moment, he found himself tolerating, even liking Hinata. 

"It's my pleasure, Shoyo-kun" She flashed him a sparkling smile

"How did you two meet anyway?" Hinata asked while taking a seat in-between Natsu and Saito making the latter scoot farther to the left, away from the browned-haired girl. At this moment, Tsukishima wanted to hug Hinata, he wanted to give him praises and tell him that he was the next Little Giant. Who knew that Hinata's annoying antics would come in handy someday? He thought.

Upon overhearing the conversation, Tanaka went over to them, harshly slinging one arm over Saito's shoulders. "Are you guys boyfriend girlfriend or something?" The smile on the second year's face didn't seem to reach his eyes, as his words came out more like a threat than a question. 

"No, no! Nothing like that. Saito-san was just kind enough to accompany me" Natsu explained. 

"Oooh well, in that case, don't worry Natsu-san! I'm still single" Tanaka boasted, pointing his thumb to himself "you don't have to keep hanging out with this lame idiot here." Tanaka's words were laced with disdain and although she didn't seem to notice, Tsukki did. 

"Stop thinking so highly of yourself Tanaka-san, she doesn't want lame guys like you, she wants cool and charming guys like me." Nishinoya spoke, earning a small giggle from Natsu. Despite joking around, Nishinoya shot daggers at Saito. Tsukishima never really respected the two sophomores, as he did with the third years but to see them sharing the same disdain he had for that boy, made him make a mental note to call them _senpai_ next time. 

The rest of his teammates formed a circle around Natsu and Saito, but Tsukishima didn't have the guts to go near her himself. He wanted to go there and tell them to back off because she was his. But that wasn't true, because as of this moment, Natsu was in the arms of another.

"I'm just going to go ask her if she's gonna walk home with us, why don't you go ahead and change?" Yamaguchi suggested. Tsukki nodded, he knew that Yamaguchi understood him and that he would look after Natsu while he changed.

Tsukki grabbed his things and mustered up the courage to walk over to Natsu. He wanted to thank her, to make amends with her so that he wouldn't have to endure seeing her with someone else. But all that came out of his mouth was _"I wonder why you guys even bothered coming here, this is a gym, this isn't a place for flirting. If you want I could give you directions to a motel"_ He smiled as he uttered these words, a futile attempt in hiding his true emotions. Tsukishima beat himself up for not saying the words he truly wanted to say, maybe if he did confess earlier then this would've never happened. But the damage is done, there is no other option but to walk away.

Everyone stood in silence as Tsukki exited the gym, tears were threatening to escape Natsu's eyes as his comment rang repeatedly inside her head. Tsukki's snide remarks and comments had never offended her before, but this, this was too much.

"What's with him?" Daichi asked Yamaguchi. Although he knew what was bothering that stubborn blonde-headed friend of his, he only responded with a shrug of his shoulder. Natsu was eyeing him, as well, evidently confused by the random outrage of their friend. 

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Awkward was an understatement of their walk home, all thanks to Tsukishima, who had ignored Natsu when she tried to introduce Saito to him. Of course, the poor girl wanted to scream at him for being rude to her newfound friend but restrained herself for the sake of not making a scene. 

The four of them had no choice but to walk home together, given the fact that all their routes were the same. Tsukishima Kei, however, had the option of leaving the scene earlier to avoid walking home with that pig but couldn't bear the _what-ifs_ that would plague his mind once he was alone in his room. It was a difficult decision for him, but he decided that he'd endure the pain of accompanying her instead of leaving her alone with _him._

Yamaguchi tried to alleviate the tension by making small talk with the sophomore but his home was the nearest to Karasuno High, and when he finally left, the situation got worse. Tsukishima trailed behind his best friend and the basketball player. It was humiliating for him, he felt like the chaperone of a couple on a date, and he despised it. Once in a while, he'd catch the boy beside her stealing glances on her, making him flare up in anger. 

He wasn't supposed to be the one looking at her like that, it was supposed to be him. Tsukishima never felt more out of place in his life, and he wanted to storm out in anger and run away as an attempt to escape the painful scene unfolding in front of him, _but he couldn't._ His feet were cemented on the ground, only following the steps that she had taken. Finally, in what felt like hours, Saito-san said his goodbyes, giving Natsu a hug that as Tsukki scoffed.

"Motel's that direction by the way..." He finally spoke, Saito glanced at him sheepishly and walked away. Natsu glared at him, her lips formed a straight line, disappointed at him for being so immature. She had never been this furious with someone before, not even with Tsukki who was never afraid to push her to the edge. She wanted to scream at him, slap him, pull out his hair, she was furious at him. Why does he have to make things so difficult, why does he always have to ruin things? All the effort that she put to brightening the team's day was shunned by the very person she wanted most to be happy.

"What is wrong with you?" was all Natsu could say, as she stared at her friend with glossy, tear-filled eyes. For the first time, she saw Tsukishima for what he really is, a bully who didn't have the capacity to reciprocate her feelings. 

Tsukishima just looked at her, not daring to speak when he really wanted to tell her how much he loved her, how happy he felt when he saw her walking in the gymnasium, and how much pain he felt when he saw her with him. Against his better judgment, he kept all of his emotions to himself and continued to walk past her, ignoring her instead.

"Really? You're just going to ignore me like that? After all that?" A voice shouted behind him, demanding answers for his previous actions. His feet felt like bricks and he wanted to turn around and hold her in his arms but he couldn't face her, he was too ashamed with himself and how he had handled the situation. 

Natsu ran after him as tears started to fall on her cheeks. The streets are dark and the road is now deserted, no one was there to witness the scene unfolding between the two. She tugged at his uniform, forcing him to stop in his tracks. 

"Let go of me." A cold dangerous voice said. Natsu clenched on to his coat tighter, not daring to let him slip away.

"No! Not until you give me an explanation." She screamed, challenging him. Tsukki looked at his friend's bloodshot eyes and tear-stained face, her hair was disheveled and it broke his heart to see her like that. In all the years that they've been together as friends, he never once made her cry. 

"I said." He reiterated once more, with a harsher tone in his voice "Let go of me." Underneath the cold and uncaring exterior, he wanted to comfort her and tell her that it was his fault but he was never really skilled at expressing what he truly felt. Natsu stood there, hands still holding on to his clothing, afraid of letting him go. Without thinking, Tsukki grabbed her hands and pushed her away, stumbling as she lost her balance falling on the rough, concrete floor. Natsu didn't have the strength to stand up, her heart was broken in two, she expected him to apologize, not push her away. She looked up at him, searching for any emotion, anything at all. But all she saw was a bored expression that was always on his face, no hint of guilt nor pain. They've known each other for years, she always thought that she understood him, that she knew him, and that he trusted her enough to show her his true emotions, _but she was wrong._

Finally free from her grasps, he started to walk again. Turning around to hide the tears starting to form on his honey-colored eyes. He didn't know why he did that, he shouldn't have pushed her away, he should've just told her what he truly felt, but he didn't. 

"Tsukishima Kei! If you don't turn around right now, you'll lose me." She screamed behind him, still sitting on the concrete, crying hysterically to herself. 

He stopped in his tracks, as her heart jumped, hoping that he'd finally turn around and look her in the eye. 

"What makes you think I care?" He said as he continued to walk farther from her. 

Hurt was an understatement of what she felt during that moment. Her body ran cold, as the beating heart beneath her ribs stopped as she cried to herself louder. What a fool she was for thinking that he actually cared for her, for thinking that she was special. For a moment, she thought he valued the years they spent together, that it wasn't just her that had grown attached. It was done, he made his choice not to fix their relationship. She was done making excuses to herself that he was just not good at expressing emotions, that he was just misunderstood. The world seemed to be cracking underneath her, as she spiraled downwards realizing that he never really cared

Memories of them quietly sitting next to each other in their houses and arguing the next second flashed in front of her eyes, oh she was a fool for thinking that all of that meant something to him, for thinking that he treasured those moments the same way she did. 

He had no heart, if he had cared about her at all then he wouldn't have pushed her away just like that, he wouldn't have left her here, laying on the cold surface of a sidewalk with a heart broken in two. 

Her heart ached for him, she wanted him to look at her the same way Saito did, with admiration and awe, but she knew that yearning for someone with no heart would only damage her even further. Wiping her tears with the sleeve of her coat, she adjusted herself as she stood up. Standing in the same place, he left her she whispered to herself.

_Goodbye, Tsukishima Kei._


End file.
